TicketsGardner Will Participate in MLS Draft
Cincinnati player signed project-40 contract
Contact: Christie Hadley
1/13/2004
Gardner with U-20 National Team last summer. |
NEW YORK, New York ? University of Cincinnati men's soccer player Josh Gardner will be participating in the 2004 Major League Soccer (MLS) draft on Friday, January 16 at 10 a.m. in Charlotte, N.C. Gardner, a junior midfielder, signed a contract with Major League Soccer's Nike Project-40 on January 8 and will be the first UC soccer player to participate in a draft. Gardner led Cincinnati this past season with six goals, six assists, and 51 shots.
"We are excited for Josh," assistant coach Greg Bowman said. "We would have loved for him to stay for his senior year at Cincinnati because he is a great player, but he is going to get a realistic opportunity to play soccer at that level. We wish him the best and hope he does well."
In existence since 1997, Nike Project-40 was created by MLS and U.S. Soccer to provide young American players the prescribed amount of professional games needed to make the National team. Nike Project-40 players earn the minimum MLS salary of $24,000 during their first season, and are also awarded an academic package covering tuition (not to exceed $27,000) by the United States Soccer Federation Foundation, helping the athletes finish their degrees.
"I was approached when I played on the national team this summer," Gardner said. "They told me that I needed to have a good season and I did."
Gardner (Houston, Texas/Mayde Creek) was one of the most decorated Bearcats in 2003, earning All-Conference USA first team honors, C-USA All-Tournament team honors, second team All-Great Lakes Region and first team All-Ohio. He also was named to the Soccer America Team of the Week following his season-high showing against C-USA foe Charlotte, when he netted two goals and an assist in UC's 5-1 victory.
He will be joined in the draft by seven other signees in the Nike Project-40 class of 2004. Dubbed as "some of the brightest young stars in college and U.S. National Team soccer" by MLS Senior Vice President Todd Durbin, the class includes two forwards, two midfielders, three defenders and one goalkeeper. They will join 14-year-old Freddy Adu, the youngest player ever to sign with MLS on the 26-man active Nike Project-40 roster. Each MLS team includes one to three Nike Project-40 players on their roster during the season. These players train with their MLS teams, and play matches on weekends either with their MLS team or the US Pro-40.
"I actually only played one game with the national team," Gardner added. "I did so well in that game that an agent got into contact with me through my family. The Senior Vice President, Todd Durbin came down to visit me and gave me a contract the next day. I thought it over for about a week and signed it."
Gardner is currently playing in the MLS Combine Games in Carson, Calif., until Wednesday. Following the games he will immediately travel to Charlotte, N.C. for the draft.